Tyler got back into the truck and pulled it away from the wooden structure. Greta shut the corral gate and watched the beautiful horse as she acted out her unhappiness. Within minutes she had calmed enough to walk the perimeters of the corral, obviously curious about this new place where she found herself.
“I see the barn you mentioned,” Tyler said when he rejoined her and pointed to the barn near the corral.
“My father went a little overboard,” she replied. “It’s way bigger than I needed since it’s dedicated to hay bales and feed and equipment only I use for the horses I work with here.” She looked back at Sugar. “She should be fine now,” she said more to herself than to him.
With the horse settled in, Greta rode with Tyler to a place where he could unhook the trailer and park his truck. They then grabbed their bags and headed for the house.
They entered through a side door that led into a large mudroom and from there headed into the huge kitchen, where Maria Sanchez, the main cook for the family, was in the process of preparing the noon meal.
Greta made the introductions and then they moved out of the kitchen and through the formal living room, to the large staircase that led up to her bedroom and several guest rooms.
They had reached only the bottom of the staircase when Edith Turner appeared. Edith had come to work for the Coltons when Greta was six years old. She not only ran the household smoothly and still mothered the children who had grown up in her presence, but she had also had a special touch when dealing with Abra and her frailties throughout the years.
“I prepared the guest room as you asked,” she said, her gray eyes warm as her gaze lingered on Greta.
“Thank you, Edith. And this is Tyler Stanton.”
Edith sniffed and the warmth in her eyes disappeared in a single blink. “Another Stanton,” she said. “If you’re anything like that lowlife of a brother of yours, I’ll see to it that the maids short-sheet your bed.”
Greta gasped, Edith blushed and Tyler laughed. “Believe me, my only reason for being here is to see to Greta’s safety and well-being. Don’t judge me for the sins of my brother.”
Edith harrumphed. “Time will tell,” she replied curtly. “I just want you to know I have my eyes on you.”
“I don’t know what got into her,” Greta said moments later when she and Tyler reached the top of the stairs. “I’ve never seen her act that way with a guest.”
“She’s obviously very fond of you,” Tyler replied good-naturedly. “And I haven’t had my bed short-sheeted since I was twelve and Mark snuck into my room to do the deed.”
Greta led him into the room next to hers. “This is where you’ll be staying.” The room had a king-size bed and an adjoining bath and was done in beige tones and black. As with all the guest rooms, it was both large and beautifully decorated.
“Nice,” he said and dropped his bags to the floor. “And where are you?”
“Next door.”
“I want to see.” He took her two bags out of her hands.
Greta had slept with Tyler twice and yet she felt oddly shy as she took him next door and into her private quarters. She’d chosen to decorate the room in shades of blue that made her feel as if the beautiful Oklahoma sky were inside.
The king-size bed sported a sky blue comforter with a blue-and-white bed skirt. Gauzy white curtains hung at the windows, allowing in plenty of sunshine.
A built-in bookcase held not only a large flat-screen television but also miniature statues of horses and books about horses and training.
There was also a sitting area with two blue chairs in front of a white marble fireplace. Many a wintry evening she’d sat in one of those chairs, reading one of the books about horse training.
He set her bags on the floor and nodded as if satisfied. “Now when I’m so lonely in my bed next door, I can imagine you in here, covered in sky and sheets that I guess will have your scent in them.” He released a deep, overly dramatic sigh.
She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Only with you,” he replied lightly. Their gazes met and the teasing light in his eyes shifted into something else, something that threatened to steal her breath away.
She took a step backward away from him. “Come on. We’ve got some time before lunch for me to show you around.”
He followed her down the stairs and she marveled that with a single look he could cause something to shift inside her, a force of desire to rise up. She’d hoped that here, in her own territory, he wouldn’t have such power over her, but she was obviously wrong and that meant she had to take care.
She probably should have put him in another of the guest rooms farther away from hers, but when she’d thought of him spending the night in a straight-back chair to keep her safe, she’d wanted him close to her.
“I’ll introduce you to the rest of the gang at lunch,” she said as they went back down the stairs. She led him back through the kitchen and then the mudroom and out the side door. “So this is our ranch.”
Tyler stood for a moment and surveyed the landscape before him. “I knew you all ran a big operation here, but I had no idea it was this big.”
“That huge building you see in the distance is our main office and sales barn. We have a sales ring, twelve pipe stalls, a wash bay and a tack room. If we walk up that hill, you’ll see our working pens. There’s also a smaller breeding barn. That’s where Daniel is working on a new program that is proving to be quite successful. Then there’s the bunkhouse, the equipment-and-hay shed and the cabin, which was originally built for the ranch manager but now Daniel lives there.” She paused to take a breath.
“Wow, I had no idea there was so much here.”
“And I haven’t even mentioned the stables or the old house,” she said.
“The old house?”
“It was the original homestead. It’s located about two miles south of here. It’s over a hundred years old but in decent shape. Jack lives there now with his pregnant wife, Tracy. As you can see, there are also lots of other smaller sheds and such around.” She frowned suddenly. “Plenty of places for somebody to hide.”
Tyler placed an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer against him. “And plenty of people looking after you.”
She smiled up at him and then stepped out of his embrace. “You’re right. I can’t allow her to fill me with fear of my own home. I need to live my life and hope that Ryan and the police department get her behind bars sooner rather than later.”
“That’s the spirit,” Tyler replied.
“We’d better head back inside. Lunch should be served in just a little while and we both have unpacking to do.” With a final glance around, Greta led him back into the house.
There was no time to unpack. By the time they got inside, Maria was bustling to get the food in serving dishes and the sound of voices drifted from the dining room.
Greta steeled herself, wondering how her family would react to her guest. She would know immediately if any of them were displeased, although they would all be polite in Tyler’s presence. She would be able to tell by subtle body language or facial expressions how they really felt about him being here.
“Prepare yourself,” she said softly as she took him by the arm and led him into the dining room, where her mother and father and her brother Brett and his wife, Hannah, were also present.
Greta made quick introductions, and while nobody said anything untoward, Hannah gave Greta a look that indicated a private girl talk was definitely in order later when they were alone.
Hannah had given birth to a baby boy less than a month ago. His name was Alexander and he was spending his mother’s lunchtime with one of the maids. Hannah was definitely a hands-on new mom and had refused to hire a full-time nanny, but baby Alex was usually cared for by a maid during family mealtimes.
Within minutes Daniel and Jack had arrived, making the lunch bunch complete. Although both men lived close enough to go home for lunch, Jack in
the old house and Daniel in a cabin near the breeding barn, they usually came to the main house for their noon meal.
It was a bit chaotic as everyone took their seats. Edith had placed Tyler across the table from Greta and next to Jack, who definitely had his suspicious-big-brother role on when he was introduced to Tyler.
Initially, the talk revolved around the ranch as Jack, Daniel and Brett dominated the conversation by discussing business with Big J.
As always, Jack and Brett bickered good-naturedly about the ranch. Brett accused Jack of hanging on to the past and Jack replied that Brett wanted to make changes too fast. It was a common argument between the two.
When Maria had brought out all the food, a hot chicken salad and various side dishes, the men fell silent and the women had a chance to visit.
Greta was pleased that her mother appeared a little brighter than she had been when Greta had initially left for Oklahoma City. It was definitely nice to see her mood lifting rather than following the initial plunge into a real depression.
“How’s my little nephew?” Greta asked Hannah, who was seated next to her.
Hannah smiled. “Wonderful. He’s such a good baby. He’s already sleeping through most of the night.”
“He’s smart as a whip,” Brett said proudly. “I swear the other night I heard him say ‘Good night, Daddy’ when I put him in his crib.”
Everyone laughed. “And I’m sure he’ll be toddling around within the next week or two,” Jack teased.
“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Brett replied with a glint of laughter in his eyes.
“After lunch I need to unpack and then I definitely want to get a new-baby-smell fix,” Greta said to Hannah. “There’s nothing like the smell of a sweet baby.”
“Ha! He doesn’t smell that sweet all the time,” Brett replied, once again making everyone laugh.
“And maybe when you get a chance, you can explain to me what you’re doing with him,” Hannah whispered and gazed at Tyler, who was asking questions of the men about the ranch and its workings.
Greta nodded, but she honestly didn’t know how to explain what she was doing with Tyler. She wouldn’t tell Hannah about her intense sexual attraction to him or that when he looked at her with such intensity, he made the whole crazy world fade away.
She couldn’t explain that something about Tyler made her feel safe amid all of the madness that had been her life in recent months.
“I’ve decided to have a big Thanksgiving Day feast here,” Abra announced when there was a break in the conversation. “I’ll take care of all the arrangements and it will be a wonderful family gathering.”
“Sweetheart, that sounds wonderful,” Big J replied enthusiastically. “I can’t remember the last time the whole family was together for a holiday.”
Greta exchanged a worried glance with her brothers. Abra had never been the kind of mother who planned family gatherings. Rather, she tended to shun them, finding the chaos and all of the people overwhelming. The only time she had planned a gathering had been for Greta’s engagement party.
“You know we’ll all pitch in to help,” Hannah said.
Abra shook her head. “Thank you for the offer, but this is something I want to do all on my own.” She gazed across the table at her husband fondly. “It’s past time that I step up to my place in this family. Besides, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve already started planning the menu.”
“That’s great, Mother,” Greta replied with a bit of forced cheer. Although her mother’s state of mind had always been a worry, maybe she was taking this on to replace all the planning she’d been involved with for the wedding that was not taking place.
Greta was at least pleased to see a new spark of life in her mother’s eyes, a lilt to her voice that had been absent for so many years of Greta’s life. Maybe her mother was finally finding the strength to face life that had always been elusive before.
After lunch she and Tyler parted in the hallway, each going to their own rooms to unpack and get settled in. As Greta unloaded the clothes she had taken to Tyler’s, she replayed the lunch in her head.
Tyler had been at his very best, charming and warm and openly curious as to how and why things were done at the ranch. He’d easily won over Big J, and both Daniel and Brett had seemed to warm to him.
She hadn’t missed the wariness in Jack’s eyes as he’d interacted with Tyler, a wariness that hadn’t vanished by the end of the meal. Jack, like Greta, had bought into Mark’s facade of a loving fiancé. Even if it wasn’t fair, Tyler would have to go a long way to overcome the sins of his brother as far as her older brother was concerned.
If Greta were honest with herself, she would admit that she harbored more than a little bit of wariness about Tyler despite all the positive qualities she’d seen in him so far.
He’d been kind and protective. He’d shown a warmth and a sense of humor that was far too attractive. So far he had given her a vision of the kind of man she’d imagined she’d eventually marry.
But Mark had given her many of those same things. He’d charmed her with sweet talk and ideas of future and family. He’d also passed the brother test and had endeared himself to her parents. He’d made her believe she was the only woman on earth who was right for him. She’d swallowed it all hook, line and sinker.
And she’d been so wrong about him.
She wanted to believe that Tyler was exactly the kind of man he’d shown her so far, but she couldn’t forget how easily she’d been fooled by a Stanton before and she refused to be fooled again. Fool me once... she thought as she hung up the last of her clothes in her closet.
She believed Tyler wanted to keep her safe from harm. She also recognized that his physical desire for her was very real, as was hers for him. But she wasn’t willing to put her heart on the line so easily again.
If Tyler Stanton wanted a real relationship with her, he was going to have to work hard for it. If he just wanted hot sex and a tamed wild horse from her, then he’d get half of what he wanted while he was here at the ranch.
In the meantime, nothing in her life had changed. She still had a mother who she feared might be in for a fall by taking charge of the whole Thanksgiving-feast idea. She had a father who she was afraid was struggling with a loss of his mental acumen and a sister she’d never met who had tried to kill her once and who she feared would make another attempt. The next time she just might succeed.
* * *
Tyler unpacked his duffel back in the guest room, pleased at how well he’d got through lunch. The only person he felt he hadn’t managed to win over at all was Jack.
Greta’s eldest brother had the bright green Colton eyes and they’d held a level of suspicion and distrust each time they’d met Tyler’s gaze.
Typical big-brother protection, Tyler thought. He couldn’t blame Jack for not trusting Tyler given the circumstances and his relationship with Mark.
It was obvious that Jack was an alpha male and the man in charge of the ranch. Daniel and Brett had seemed more laid-back than their eldest brother. It was equally obvious that Daniel was passionate about his horse-breeding program, and Tyler looked forward to learning more about both it and the ranch operation while he was here.
When he was finished unpacking, his thoughts were still on Greta’s brothers, particularly one of the two who had not been at the lunch table.
Greta hadn’t said anything about talking to her brother Ryan, but Tyler knew they needed to report what had happened the night before at his place.
Tyler had met Ryan Colton when he’d come forward to alibi Greta. Tyler had no idea if at the time Ryan had believed him or not, but the alibi had got Greta out of jail and that was all that was important.
Tyler sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. It took him only minutes to call the Tulsa Police Department and be connected with Detective Ryan Colton. He told Ryan that he and Greta were at the ranch and needed to make a report. He got no further than that when Ryan said he�
��d come immediately to the ranch.
The minute he hung up the phone, Greta appeared in his doorway. “Ah, I just finished talking to your brother Ryan.” He got up off the bed. “He’s on his way here to take a report about what happened last night.”
Her eyes darkened and she nodded. “Thanks. I should have called him earlier. I just hope my twin still thinks we’re at your place in Oklahoma City.”
“Unless she saw us leave this morning, there’s no reason for her to believe we’re not there. That might buy us a day or two of time before we have to worry about her showing up around here.” He wanted to take that darkness out of her eyes, replace it with something bright and shiny.
“What are the plans for the afternoon?” he asked. He gave her a mock leer and then looked at his bed.
The darkness in her eyes instantly lifted and she released a small laugh. “We’ll be heading back outside to get you some fresh air to blow whatever thoughts you might entertain in that direction right out of your brain.”
“If you insist,” he replied, pleased with his mission accomplished. The darkness was gone, replaced by wry amusement that sparkled in her beautiful eyes.
Minutes later they headed toward the small corral where Sugar eyed their approach with ears flickering and nostrils flaring.
“If we don’t go any farther than here, Ryan will be able to find us easily when he arrives,” she said.
“I don’t think we should go farther than here ever until your evil twin is behind bars,” Tyler replied as he surveyed the land. At least the only structure close to the corral was the barn.
Tyler didn’t want to venture any farther on the property where there would be more places for somebody to hide and lie in wait for an opportunity to get to Greta.
Once again the November sun was warm on his back and he couldn’t help but notice how the sunshine sparkled in Greta’s long hair, making him want to touch it, to feel those silky strands flow through his fingers once again.
“You should go back home,” she said. She looked at him somberly. “This isn’t your fight. You have your work...your life to get back to. This isn’t even your business.”
The Colton Bodyguard Page 9